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A Trace of Memory
A Trace of Memory

Chapter VIII

Cover illustration for A Trace of Memory
Context Illustration Reading 1/112 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.
It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.
And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.
Even from the distance of miles, I could sense it.
The great black torpedo shape, dull moonlight glinting along the unbelievable length of its sleek flank, drifted: a derelict.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

A Trace of Memory

Chapter VIII

Reading 1/112 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.
Line 2
It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.
Line 3
And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.
Line 4
Even from the distance of miles, I could sense it.
Line 5
The great black torpedo shape, dull moonlight glinting along the unbelievable length of its sleek flank, drifted: a derelict.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Against preposition US /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading “And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.”

Along preposition US /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading “The great black torpedo shape, dull moonlight glinting along the unbelievable length of its sleek flank, drifted: a derelict.”

Before preposition US /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading “It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.”

Beside preposition US /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading “It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.”

Beyond preposition US /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading “And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “Even from the distance of miles, I could sense it.”

Dead noun US /dead/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.”

Even noun US /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Even from the distance of miles, I could sense it.”

Great noun US /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The great black torpedo shape, dull moonlight glinting along the unbelievable length of its sleek flank, drifted: a derelict.”

Half noun US /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.”

Length noun US /leŋθ/

a period of time or extent

From this reading “The great black torpedo shape, dull moonlight glinting along the unbelievable length of its sleek flank, drifted: a derelict.”

Life noun US /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.”

Look noun US /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.”

Ship noun US /ship/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.”

Silver noun US /silver/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.”

Stood noun US /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.”

All words in this reading · 76

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.

alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading The great black torpedo shape, dull moonlight glinting along the unbelievable length of its sleek flank, drifted: a derelict.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.

backdrop

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

besideprepositionUS /bɪˈsaɪd/

next to; at the side of

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

beyondprepositionUS /bɪˈɑːnd/

on the far side of; further than

From this reading And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.

black

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.

blotting

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.

bottomless

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.

brilliance

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.

bulk

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.

button

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

corruscating

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Even from the distance of miles, I could sense it.

deadnounUS /dead/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.

derelict

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The great black torpedo shape, dull moonlight glinting along the unbelievable length of its sleek flank, drifted: a derelict.

distance

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Even from the distance of miles, I could sense it.

drifted

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The great black torpedo shape, dull moonlight glinting along the unbelievable length of its sleek flank, drifted: a derelict.

dull

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The great black torpedo shape, dull moonlight glinting along the unbelievable length of its sleek flank, drifted: a derelict.

emptiness

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.

EvennounUS /even/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Even from the distance of miles, I could sense it.

flank

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The great black torpedo shape, dull moonlight glinting along the unbelievable length of its sleek flank, drifted: a derelict.

Foster

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Even from the distance of miles, I could sense it.

glinting

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The great black torpedo shape, dull moonlight glinting along the unbelievable length of its sleek flank, drifted: a derelict.

glowed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

greatnounUS /great/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The great black torpedo shape, dull moonlight glinting along the unbelievable length of its sleek flank, drifted: a derelict.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

halfnounUS /half/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.

hours

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

hurt

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

imagining

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.

later

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

lengthnounUS /leŋθ/

a period of time or extent

From this reading The great black torpedo shape, dull moonlight glinting along the unbelievable length of its sleek flank, drifted: a derelict.

lifenounUS /life/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

looknounUS /look/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.

miles

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Even from the distance of miles, I could sense it.

moonlight

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The great black torpedo shape, dull moonlight glinting along the unbelievable length of its sleek flank, drifted: a derelict.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.

out

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.

points

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.

polychrome

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.

screen

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

sense

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Even from the distance of miles, I could sense it.

set

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.

shape

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The great black torpedo shape, dull moonlight glinting along the unbelievable length of its sleek flank, drifted: a derelict.

shipnounUS /ship/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.

showed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.

silent

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

silver

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

sleek

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The great black torpedo shape, dull moonlight glinting along the unbelievable length of its sleek flank, drifted: a derelict.

stoodnounUS /stood/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

ten-foot

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.

thick

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.

titanic

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.

torpedo

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The great black torpedo shape, dull moonlight glinting along the unbelievable length of its sleek flank, drifted: a derelict.

touched

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

two

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

unbelievable

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The great black torpedo shape, dull moonlight glinting along the unbelievable length of its sleek flank, drifted: a derelict.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.

vast

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.

vista

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And against that backdrop: a ship, vast beyond imagining, blotting out half the titanic vista with its bulk---- But dead.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading It was two hours later, and Foster and I stood silent before a ten-foot screen that had glowed into life when I touched a silver button beside it.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading It showed us a vast emptiness of bottomless black, set thick with corruscating points of polychrome brilliance that hurt to look at.